Protesters outnumbered as Queen welcomes Saudi king

Human rights and anti-arms trade activists gathered today to protest against the state visit by King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia.

Around 100 human rights and anti-arms trade activists jeered and shouted "shame on you" as the royal procession passed along The Mall in central London.

But the protesters' banners were dwarfed by giant Union flags and Saudi national flags which lined the street, while the protesters themselves were outnumbered by both police and hundreds of interested onlookers.

Human rights activist Peter Tatchell said it was "incredible hypocrisy" for ministers to condemn the Burmese and Zimbabwean regimes while saying nothing about human rights abuses in the Saudi Kingdom.

He said: "It just shows oil and arms sales seem to have bought the Government's silence.

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"I'm sure the Government is privately embarrassed. It must know its inconsistency on human rights around the world is something that will outrage a lot of people."

King Abdullah's visit has been shrouded in controversy over oppressive policies against gays and women in the Middle Eastern kingdom and the war on terror.

Protesters carried banners marked "Put human rights before BAe profits" and "You can't do this in Riyadh" and condemned Government "hypocrisy".

But they were outnumbered by spectators and police who lined The Mall, the route the royal party will take to Horseguards Parade where the King will review a guard of honour.

London mayor Ken Livingstone today condemned the Saudi royal family and accused them of backing groups who support international terrorism.

He said the Saudis were the "principal" funders for the extremist Wahhabi sect, whose followers include Osama bin Laden and the 9/11 bombers.

In an outspoken attack, he accused them of financially supporting intolerant Islam, a move bound to embarrass the Government.

He said: "Far from the Saudi royal family being a stable force in global politics, they have been the principal funders for the Wahhabi sect which is the most intolerant strain of modern Islam.

"That's why it was of no surprise that Osama bin Laden arose out of that strand of Islam, or that 15 of the 19 hijackers on 9/11 shared that view.

"For the Saudi royal family now to say they have wiped out terrorism is a bit rich - they have been one of its principal sources through that funding of Wahhabism over the last five decades."

Symon Hill from the Campaign Against The Arms Trade said: "I think the visit sends the message that the UK Government isn't concerned about human rights in Saudi Arabia. It also sends the message that the Government will put the arms trade and BAe ahead of human rights."

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He criticised Prime Minister Gordon Brown for condemning human rights abuses in Burma and Zimbabwe, but saying nothing about the Saudis.

He said: "It's hard to think Britain can have an influence in the world criticising Mugabe's despotism if the Saudi dictator is welcomed to a banquet at Buckingham Palace."

Anna Jones, 26, from Hackney, north-east London, came to the protest dressed as the Queen and carried a speech bubble saying: "Just don't mention human rights abuses and BAe."

She said: "I think the Queen is being used as a pawn. She is having to roll out the red carpet to another human rights abuser and to oil the wheels of big business."

Ian Steele, 68, a former university lecturer, said he was enjoying the pomp of the State visit. But he criticised Kim Howells, the Middle East minister standing in for Foreign Secretary David Miliband, who said Britain had shared values with the Saudis.

He said: "We don't have shared values - that's nonsense. It's real politique that means we have to welcome them here but we don't have to make a statement like that which makes a nonsense of the whole thing.

"People then lose trust and don't think we care about human rights."

Comedian and activist Mark Thomas said alleged bribes to the Saudi regime were counterproductive and urged ministers to reopen the Serious Fraud Office inquiry.

He said: "Bribery isn't a victimless crime. [Environment Secretary] Hilary Benn said corruption kills and it does. It hurts the poorest in society and it helps the rich.

"It's a false economy to bribe people, it's got nothing to do with the creation of jobs and everything to do with keeping in favour with the barrel of oil."

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Student Mark Carrigan, 21, from Warwick, said: "When Labour came to office they talked about an ethical foreign policy and that's just passed by the wayside.

"It's within the British Government's power to take a more critical approach to the Saudi regime - I just want them to do that."

Mary Holmes, 65, a retired district nurse from Twickenham, south-west London, said torture was a "state policy" in Saudi Arabia and said Britain should not trade with such a "disgraceful regime".

She said: "A lot of people think that the arms industry is central to the British economy but only 2 per cent of our exports come from the arms industry.

"It's really just a global trade now so people are mistaken in thinking BAe is a British firm."

The visit, the first by a Saudi ruler in more than 20 years, started badly when the King said the Saudis warned Britain over the July 7 bombings.

He said agents had identified the al Qaida handlers behind the bombers and told their British counterparts - prompting a Foreign Office denial.

Today research by the Policy Exchange found Saudi-funded extremist literature in one-quarter of religious outlets they surveyed.

Last year the Government abandoned a Serious Fraud Office inquiry into alleged kickbacks paid in the multibillion pound al-Yamamah deal.